Pochampally Ikkat saree weavers worried as market flooded with powerloom products

Pochampally Ikkat saree weavers are concerned as powerloom-made sarees flood the market. The cheaper, less durable powerloom versions are impacting demand for traditional handloom sarees in Telangana

Hyderabad: Pochampally Ikkat saree weavers in the State are increasingly worried as the market is being flooded with powerloom-made sarees, leading to a steady decline in demand for the traditional handloom variety.

Traditionally woven on handlooms, Pochampally Ikkat sarees require significant physical effort and time to produce. CITU State Secretary Kurapati Ramesh said powerloom sarees, manufactured in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and other States, were entering Telangana markets in large quantities, especially in malls and popular commercial showrooms.

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Depending on the material used — silk, cotton, and sometimes silver or gold threads — Pochampally Ikkat handloom sarees cost between Rs.6,000 and Rs.8,000, while those made with precious metals can cost up to Rs.1 lakh. It takes four to five days to weave a single saree on a handloom.

In contrast, powerloom sarees are priced between Rs.1,000 and Rs.1,500 in showrooms. They are designed on computers, printed on selected fabrics and produced in large quantities within hours. Ramesh said the detailing in these machine-made sarees was such that “it is for the consumers to identify the handlooms and powerlooms Pochampally Ikkat sarees.”

With a significant price gap, most buyers opt for powerloom versions. “But the machine-made sarees don’t last long. As a result, consumers lose confidence and tend to avoid even the handlooms, citing durability concerns,” Ramesh said.

For generations, weavers in Pochampally, Koyyalagudem, Siripuram, Puttapaka, Mothkur, Gattuppala and other villages in the erstwhile Nalgonda district, as well as in Warangal, Narayanpet and Jogulamba Gadwal, have continued the tradition of weaving Ikkat sarees on handlooms.

However, with orders declining, weavers have repeatedly raised the issue of powerloom sarees with the Handlooms Department, but with little response. Ramesh said that since Pochampally Ikkat sarees were patented, the department should inspect stores and manufacturing units producing powerloom sarees and take action. “Seldom do they act, and the negligent attitude of the department in curbing these sarees is leaving the handloom weavers worried,” he added.